1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for deveining shrimp. More particularly, it relates to improvements in the cutter feed structure for removing the shrimp sand vein. The present invention may also be used to longitudinally cut such items as hot dogs and peppers.
2. The Prior Art
The process of preparing shrimp for table consumption entails the removal of the shrimp shell and, concurrently, the removal of the shrimp sand vein along with any debris contained therein. As shrimp farming has advanced, the numerical volume of shrimp passed through the deveining process has increased and automation is thus a necessary adjunct for commercial success. In the past, various powered devices were developed for assisting those engaged in commercial shrimp processing, as exemplified in the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 2,702,921 to Pinney (the '921 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,199 to Morris (the '199 patent). While suitable for their intended purposes, these and other prior art devices entail electrically powered drives that are proximate to the wet environment of the shrimp harvest process. This proximity has given rise to concerns over operator safety, particularly as the adjustment process used to accommodate varying sizes of shrimp harvested requires manual intervention close to electrically powered components.
Generally, the process of deveining a shrimp includes making a cut lengthwise through the shell, a cut that by necessity requires alignment. For these reasons both of the foregoing prior art teachings include spaced-apart guide wheels between which the shrimp is fed towards a rotary cutter. The deveining process therefore also effects the separation of the shell, and migration of the shell and vein matter into the drive enclosure has been a source of some concern in the past. To accommodate this concern, the '199 patent, for example, seals the through wall journals, with the mechanism for adjustment of the shrimp size being located in the motor cavity away from the cutter assembly. While fit for its intended purposes, this often-used adjustment feature positions the operator next to electrically powered components such as the motor and the protective case must be opened to effect an adjustment. A structure that provides electrical insulation and isolation of the electric components in normal use is therefore desired and it is such a structure that is disclosed herein.